The Known World Players Announce Future Pennsic Productions

The Known World Players have announced their production schedule for the next three Pennsic Wars.

They will continue their journey through theatrical history with the following shows:

For Pennsic 43, the Known World Players will present "The Canterbury Tales" as written and adapted by Andrew May. The production, which marks the company's first revival, will be directed by Lady Renata L'Rouge. Renata has been well known to KWP casts for her efforts back stage, especially as Assistant Director for "Anne of the Thousand Days" performed at Pennsic 41. As an actor she appeared in "Henry V." She began her stage career in childhood, acting primarily with the Players of Allegany County (that is how it's spelled-it's NY). As a teenager, she apprenticed under the chief lighting engineer and the costume director, and eventually became the youngest member of the Players to serve on the Board of Trustees. At the age of 18, she co-founded the Footlights Teen Theater company, where she gained some valuable production management experience. She has since directed several stage productions, as well as writing and directing many murder mystery dinner theaters.

Pennsic 44 will mark the return of Shakespeare to the schedule with "The Merchant of Venice," directed by Master Lorcan Dracontius. Lorcan, who is currently Company Housekeeper (Managing Director), is no stranger to the Bard, having directed both "Macbeth" and "Henry V" for the company. Other directorial credits for KWP include "The Lion In Winter" and "A Man for All Seasons." Outside the Society he has staged Tennessee William's "Period of Adjustment," the Philadelphia premiere of Lanford Wilson's "Talley & Son," "The Crucible," and numerous children's plays. As a playwright his work includes the children's trilogy, "A Dragon Named Harold," and "Ruby of Secrets." For the Society he has penned “Who Killed Baron Tristen?”, “Feast of the Hunt,” and an SCA-specific production version of “The Second Shepherds Play.” He is a past President, Treasurer, and Board member of Plays and Players Theater in Philadelphia. Plays and Players, founded in 1911, is the oldest continuously producing Community Theater in the United States.

Pennsic 45 will see a production of "The Knight of the Burning Pestle" by Francis Beaumont, which will be directed by Don Orlando Sforza. Don Orlando has been a mainstay of the company's acting for many years. Memorable productions include Cromwell in "A Man for All Seasons," Benedict in "Much Ado About Nothing," as well as Fluellen in "Henry V." While "Knight" will be his directorial debut for KWP, Orlando has directed the Shakespearean plays "King Lear," "The Tempest," and "As You Like It" for the New Jersey Renaissance Kingdom as well as several productions of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." He has directed such contemporary plays as "Detective Story," "You Can’t Take it With You," and "Lend Me a Tenor," and musicals including "Fiddler on the Roof," "Camelot," "Kiss Me Kate," and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" for various high schools.